Common Mistakes

As any cigar aficionado will tell you, cigars are a hobby, not a habit and like any hobby, there is a right and wrong way to do it, so here is a list of some of the common mistakes that you can make while lighting up.

EXPECTING TWO CIGARS TO SMOKE THE SAME

Premium cigars are a handmade product created from an agricultural crop. Since so much variation can occur with the blends used, types of tobacco, and how the cigars were made, it’s next to impossible to predict how a cigar will smoke with 100% certainty. Real cigar aficionados know this and embrace these small variations.

You should, too.

THINKING THAT LIKE WINE, CIGAR FLACOURS CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR

Cigars are a non-vintage industry, which means cigar manufacturers try to ensure their cigar offerings taste the same from year to year. They add to and tinker with their tobacco blends, always trying to make sure the blend maintains the same taste while accounting for natural variation. Over time, the taste of the cigar model will change, but very slowly.

The difference is negligible in the short term.

KEEPING THE CIGAR IN YOUR MOUTH

A cigar isn’t something to clench between your teeth and cheek and suck on. It should be held in your hand and brought up to your mouth to puff, then brought back down to hang out between your fingers.

This also helps the cigar burn cooler, so you don’t waste any precious tobacco.

DIPPING THE CIGAR IN ALCOHOL

A cigar should never be dipped in alcohol.The flavour of the liquor can ruin the taste of the cigar and make it different from what the cigar manufacturer intended.

I can assure you that if that cigar manufacturer wanted cognac at the end of the cigar, they would put it there.

SMOKING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SMOKING

Don’t just smoke the same fat cigar that the CEO you’re meeting with is smoking. You’re far better off asking the experts around you what you might enjoy instead of hacking up a lung and wasting a cigar.

This is especially good advice for beginners who aren’t as comfortable smoking cigars just yet.

INHALING THE CIGAR SMOKE

You should never inhale while smoking a cigar. They’re not cigarettes, and the tobacco is often much stronger. Instead, merely take a puff and let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds while you taste it. Then simply blow it out. Puff and rotate your cigar every 30 seconds to one minute, and enjoy it with a strong alcoholic beverage.